Eagle's Glory

Until now, he has not forgotten to emphasize his true allegiance... Aigron can only shrug in embarrassment.

"I understand. What advice do you have now?"

"We have won the victory now, but it is not time to stop. We should continue to act quickly." Major Hench said his judgment, "I personally suggest that you directly order to return to the division and help your captain of the guard solve the other problems." Enemy on one side."

"You mean to give up the pursuit?" Aigron immediately understood what he meant.

Major Henchy nodded slightly, but it was enough to show his will.

"What if the tragedy of 1815 is repeated?" Aigron asked in a low voice. "Don't forget that Blücher was also defeated, but he still rushed to that damned Waterloo and ended everything."

"The situation in 1815 is completely different from this time." Major Hench replied decisively, "At that time, Blücher commanded a Prussian army that hated the French deeply, and the establishment was not destroyed. It's just a retreat for the time being; and now the enemy you are facing is an alliance with evil intentions. None of them have an incompatible hatred with you, and none of them has the determination to fight to the death for their allies. If you only dare to shrink back and lick your wounds, you will never have the courage to gather up and continue to attack you...so you can return to the division immediately and rescue your guard captain and Nafpaktos."

Major Henchy's words made sense and made Aigron instantly make up his mind.

"You're right, it doesn't do me much good to pursue such a retreating defeated army." He nodded, and then clenched his fists, "After lunch, we will return to the division immediately!"

Judging from the distance he traveled here, it would take about a day at a normal marching speed to return to Nafpaktos, but if he forced the march to speed up, he would be able to arrive at night.

Although the soldiers were very exhausted from the two days of marching and fighting, but with the morale bonus brought about by today's victory, this is not impossible.

That being the case, why hesitate?

Major Hench did not reply immediately, but looked at this young man who was willing to accept advice humbly and make a decision with gratified eyes.

"I will write a report in the future, detailing our experiences to His Highness. I think His Highness should be very pleased with your performance—at least so far."

"I will only get better in the future." Aigron replied with a little pride.

Seeing the young man's competitive and ambitious face, Major Henchy couldn't help but smile in his heart.

He fully understood why Grand Duke Karl, who had always looked above his head, valued him so much and was willing to accept the son of a sinner as his son-in-law.

"Yes, I don't doubt that at all." He held his head high and replied leisurely.

After making a decision, Aigron asked his guards to call Michel Ney to his side.

"Your Majesty, congratulations!" Upon seeing him, Michel Ney saluted respectfully, "You led us to victory!"

"This is also what you have paid for with hard work and bloodshed." Aigron replied with a smile.

Then, he stated his decision again, "However, this does not mean that we have to stop, on the contrary, we must continue to move! You pass the order, the whole army has lunch quickly, and we will march immediately after eating, Go back and free Naphpaktos...as fast as you can."

Although he was a little surprised that Aigron did not order the pursuit, Michel Ney thought about it and realized that His Majesty's decision was the safest choice at present, so he did not raise any objections. "Okay, Your Majesty, I'll give you an order right away... But why don't you show your face in front of the whole army first? Everyone is excited now, and we're just waiting to see you."

"Of course." Aigron couldn't help laughing.

Now that they have won, things to boost morale still have to be done.

"Also..." Michel Ney hesitated again.

"What else?" Aegron asked.

"We captured hundreds of prisoners this time." Michel Ney replied, "If we return to the division immediately, what will they do?"

This is indeed a problem. It is obviously impossible to march with prisoners. If he is detained here, he will not have enough rations to feed them.

As for killing them all, it was meaningless and damaging to his own reputation.

"We don't have time to contain them, so collect their weapons and let them go...and let them take their wounded." Aegron hesitated and then replied, "Hundreds of people can't change the balance of victory and defeat. Going back, I don’t have the courage to fight against us for the time being.”

"Yes!" Michel Ney immediately accepted his order.

Egron can clearly feel that as he leads his knights through battles and wins, his prestige is gradually established-in the past, his authority came from his name; now his authority is more It comes from trust in him personally.

No matter what order he gives, as long as it is his will, it will be obeyed by his subordinates.

That's what he wanted to see.

Now is the time to continue to consolidate that authority.

"After we leave, leave 200 people to guard the castle, monitor the movement here, collect the captured weapons that we have no time to take away, and take care of the seriously wounded who cannot be taken away." Aigron added the final order. "Be sure to leave the most adequate supplies for them."

Although limited by his current resources, most of the wounded will definitely not receive enough treatment, but he must not show any intention of actively abandoning them.

"Yes!"

Michel Ney quickly conveyed Aigron's orders to the entire army.

Although everyone was exhausted after the fierce battle, the joy of victory made them accept His Majesty's order gladly.

The battlefield was quickly cleaned up, and all sporadic resistance was wiped out, and before lunch, under the organization of the officers, all soldiers who could still move—even if they were slightly injured—formed a neat formation. The phalanx, lined up on both sides, left a passage in the middle.

Aegron in military uniform strode across the middle of the road, waving to the soldiers from time to time.

When he came to the end of the last phalanx, he took off his hat suddenly, then raised it high, and waved his hat to all the soldiers who had just fought for him.

"Long live!"

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Long Live the Empire!"

The young man was answered by deafening cheers.

The cheers echoed in the valley, seeming to shake the earth. At this time, Major Hench was quietly watching the young man who was stealing the limelight from an inconspicuous corner of the battlefield.

It was that familiar shout again...

He has served in the Austrian army for many years, and he has heard this cry in too many places. At this time, the old dream is rekindled, so how can he not let him recall those memories of the past?

20 years of continuous war, and the blood that pervades the entire continent of Europe...

Forget it, let's talk about it later.

He cut off his thoughts.

And at the same moment, in another corner of the wilderness, there were two other people silently watching the glorious scene in the distance.

Edgar looked at his allegiance to His Majesty and the soldiers celebrating enthusiastically with great interest, his fingers were shaking subconsciously, as if he was conceiving a new painting.

And Agnes, who was dressed in men's clothes but couldn't hide her beauty, was also staring at the young man who was obviously gentle and handsome, but inexplicably full of majesty.

She had never seen such a dazzling peer in Paris—she believed that she would never meet again in the future.

Her eyes were shining, it was admiration, disbelief, excitement of finally seeing a strong man, admiration for a girl's nature... or something else?

Maybe she couldn't tell herself.

"Your Majesty, he is really handsome." At this moment, Edgar said abruptly, "Hey, even if he doesn't become emperor, he is enough to fascinate the whole of Paris—I bet."

"Maybe." Agnes replied with a lack of interest, "If he didn't have such a strong desire for fame, he could become a swordsman who can shine through the entire era."

"Being an emperor is much more interesting than being a swordsman!" Edgar retorted with a smile.

This was true, so Agnes could only be speechless.

"Hey...I'm so sorry for you." Edgar narrowed his eyes slightly, then sighed with regret, "For Alice too."

Agnes was puzzled at first, but soon understood.

Then, her cheeks turned bright red, and she gave Edgar a look of resentment. "Didn't I say not to mention this again?!"

Although he knew that the other party could easily tear him apart, Edgar had no fear at the moment, and instead asked the other party.

"Agnes, are you so angry because of shame or regret?"

Agnes hesitated for a moment, then answered sharply. "It's none of your business!"

"As your brother-in-law, how can I not care about you?" Edgar sighed again, "To be honest, I am really sorry, after all, His Majesty has no one who can replace you... only It's a pity that His Royal Highness Teresa came first! For this reason, I want to curse the Austrian Emperor!"

Agnes was so angry that she was about to make a gesture.

"In fact, everything is not a foregone conclusion." Edgar said suddenly. "After all, they are not married yet. The marriage contract can be changed at any time, right? Your Majesty is a poet, and there will always be times when he gets angry."

He knew in his heart that once a person with such a temper as His Majesty made a decision, he would never change it easily, and even now, the situation could not allow this young man to go back on his word—

Teresa worked hard for him in front of and behind the scenes, and used her identity to seek help for the young man in various ways. On the one hand, she was kind to His Majesty; The organization has great influence. If His Majesty really dares to break the contract, let alone other things, the Austrians around him will not be able to spare him.

Therefore, no matter from the perspective of emotion or utilitarianism, this marriage is already a certainty, and it is absolutely impossible to change it.

But this does not prevent him from spreading false information to Agnes.

"But what does this have to do with me?" Agnes finally restrained herself from doing anything to her brother-in-law, but she didn't want to hear any more, turned her head and walked away.

Edgar silently watched the slender back of his wife and sister, then shrugged slightly.　　

161, persistence and oath

The cheers around Aegron didn't last long. According to his order, the army quickly cleaned the battlefield and began to prepare lunch on the spot.

After lunch, they didn't care to wash off the smoke and blood on their bodies, and immediately set foot on the road back to Nafpaktos.

Defeating the enemy in front of them with inferior forces, the victory they just won is unquestionable; but this does not mean that they have won the entire battle, because there is still a desperate struggle on Naphpaktos' side. Finish.

Compared with the scene when they just left Nafpaktos the day before yesterday, the military appearance of this army at this moment is much more embarrassing - many people's uniforms are covered with stains and even holes, and the military flags are also covered with smoke and dirt. But their steps were stronger and lighter than before.

The victory in the Battle of the Castle brought real psychological encouragement. They embarked on the road back to the teacher with great confidence. Everyone firmly believed that when they went back, they would have the same mentality as they did here. No one is willing to slow down and let the victory that has already been obtained cast a shadow.

Of course, before embarking on the journey back to the division, Aigron did not forget to send several messengers on horseback, asking them to report victory to Naphpaktos as quickly as possible, encouraging Andre Davout who was still persisting there, Hold on to the last bit of time.

In this way, except for the very few people who were left behind, the whole army set off on their way home. With incomparable confidence and determination, they returned along the way they came. The wind echoing among the hills was like the god of war. Horns, urging them to win the final victory.

But in Naphpaktos at this time, the atmosphere was definitely not so relaxed.

The defenders here, under the command of André Davout, had just repelled another charge of the enemy.

The god of war is here to show off his bravery, and the god of death is here to harvest souls.

Inside and outside their lines, there were many corpses belonging to the two armies, and those once beautiful buildings, under the devastation of the artillery fire, most of them have become ruins, with blood and gunpowder-smelling smoke , filled every corner of this small port, and the corpses scattered everywhere beside the fortress and the ditch really told the tragic scene that happened here.

Only the sea is still as blue and magnificent as before, ignoring another massacre tragedy that happened in front of it, and recording the bell of history with the gentle but firm sound of the waves.

Andre Davout, who was entrusted with a heavy responsibility by Aigron, of course could not hear the sound of the waves at this time, and all his energy had been put on the enemy he was facing.

In the past two days, he led his subordinates to defend this small port city with fearless courage and firm and fiery willpower.

At this time, his condition was not good. In the past two days, he led his subordinates, supported by the few fortresses that already existed here, and with the help of temporary fortifications, he repelled the overwhelmingly superior enemy forces More than a dozen attacks, and just now, he just repelled the opponent's latest round of attack.

Although he is the commander of the defenders, his headquarters is only a few hundred meters away from the front line. Sometimes when the situation is the most dangerous, he has to personally lead people to the most dangerous part of the front line to fight with the enemy. Use your own bravery and fearlessness as an example to inspire the morale of the defenders.

Under his leadership, although Naphpaktos has always seemed to be in danger, it has always been in the hands of His Majesty, just like a small tree in a storm, although it has been crushed by the violent wind. Bent, but tenaciously nailed to the earth, refusing to succumb to the tyrannical will.

André Davout couldn't care less about rejoicing that he had just withstood another torment. With the help of binoculars, he observed the enemy's lines, concentrating all his brain power to judge when and where the next attack would come from. where.

Seeing his current appearance, people who are familiar with him may no longer recognize him—this young man who always keeps clean and pays attention to his appearance, but at this time the military uniform on his body is already covered with dust, and it is cleanly shaved every day. On his face, his beard was already unshaven, and some places had been tanned.

This looks really embarrassing, but as long as you look at his still bright eyes and the unyielding light in those bloodshot eyes, his friends can still recognize this young man full of ambition and pride .

And his deputy, Edmund Dantès, was not much better at this time, and his body was also covered with dust. In the past two days, he, like Andre, took the lead in resisting the enemy's attack.

During these two days, the two of them, together with their subordinates, resolutely resisted the enemy that was several times their own, and never felt weak for a moment.

During the duration of the battle, André Davout had put all his mind on the fighting between the two armies, and had no time to think about other issues; but at this moment, in the gap just after the battle, André Davout I finally have the energy to worry about other issues.

The only question he cared about was that—how is His Majesty doing?

After His Majesty led the main force to meet the enemy, he continued to send letters to His Majesty, reporting the situation on his side, and at the same time received news from His Majesty.

According to the news he received last night, His Majesty had encountered the enemy army and was about to launch a decisive battle with them this morning, but he had not received any new news until now.

But he has a hundred times of confidence, because he believes that His Majesty will be able to win, and then return to the division to resolve the crisis here.

Now his task is to continue to stand here and wait.

Taking advantage of the gap between battles, he took his deputy Edmond Dantès to patrol around to appease his tired subordinates.

The two ignored the sporadic artillery fire and walked under the blue sky and blue sea.

It was already afternoon, and in order to relieve each other's pressure, they chatted.

"If there are no accidents, His Majesty must have driven the enemy away by now." André Davout stood by the breakwater, staring at the blue ocean in front of him. "He must be returning to the teacher and coming towards us now."

"I also firmly believe so." Edmond Dantès nodded emphatically, "When he comes back, he will definitely reward you heavily. It is you who used your bravery and determination to make his plan come true."

"And you too," replied André Davout.

Then, he laughed half-seriously and half-jokingly, "And you must be No.1 on the list of awards, because you are the Earl of Monte Cristo, a nobleman appointed by His Majesty, logically speaking, your status should be higher than mine. Gao Cai is right..."

His ridicule made Edmond Dantès a little embarrassed.

Although he has the surname of Davout, Andre is the nephew of Marshal Davout, not the heir of the marshal, so he does not have any title of title, just a follower—so if you look closely, he has been made an earl Edmond Dantes, his status is indeed higher than Andre.

"You are the chief general and the captain of His Majesty's personal guard. How can I compare with you? If this battle is successfully concluded, your achievements must be higher than mine." Edmond Dantès laughed awkwardly "Moreover, based on your loyalty and merit, if His Majesty achieves a great cause, he will definitely give you the highest honor. Whether you are a duke or a prince, you are worthy of it."

Although his words contained deliberate compliments, they were generally close to the facts. If His Majesty returns to the throne, with André Davout's confidant status and his contributions, he will definitely receive such a reward.

"I'm just joking, you don't have to take it seriously... I am loyal to His Majesty because it is my bounden duty, not for title or wealth." André Davout couldn't help laughing.